Luka Đukić has shared a touching tribute for his brother, Lazar Đukić , who died on Thursday after reportedly drowning while competing in the 2024 CrossFit Games.
According to Crossfit officials, Lazar passed away during the first event of the competition, which consisted of a 3.5-mile run followed by an 800-meter swim. Cameras live streaming the swimming segment at around 7:35a.m. appeared to capture the 28-year-old struggling to stay afloat approximately 100 meters from the finish line. Staggeringly, no alarms were raised, and he was left in the water alone.
Less than 30 minutes later, the Fire Department reported to the scene after receiving calls of a reported drowning. A body was pulled from the Fort Worth, Texas lake at around 10 a.m., with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office pronouncing Lazar dead at 10:24 a.m.
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Taking to Instagram on Friday, Luka - a two-time CrossFit games athlete - posted a black and white photo of him and his brother embracing. The heartbreaking image does not have a caption and comments have been turned off.
Before competing in this year’s CrossFit Games, Luka and Lazar co-shared a photo of themselves beaming with joy while wearing their uniforms, captioning the post: “Blood is not water, from the cradle to the grave, my soul mate, my brother. Blood is not water, people of the same breed, he will never sell me, my brother.”
Fans online swiftly took to the comment section to offer their condolences. “I hope your family gets all the love & support they need at this devastating time, we are heartbroken to lose you & I can't imagine what they are going through right now,” one Instagram user wrote, with another adding: “My condolence, Luka. May your brother rest in peace.”
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Following Lazar’s tragic passing, officials promptly canceled all the events that were set to occur on Thursday, but announced that the competition would still take place through the weekend.
“Today is the saddest day in CrossFit history,” a spokesperson from the CrossFit Games wrote on X. “We are shattered by the loss of Lazar Đukić along with the entire CrossFit community.
“Lazar was one of our sport’s most talented competitors, but he was much more than an athlete. He was a son, a brother, and a friend to practically everyone who knew him. Fiercely competitive, incurably joyful and uncommonly kind, Lazar was the sun of any room he was in.
“The loss of his light is inconceivable. The first instinct is to shut down. To isolate. To mourn. But the only cure for grief is to grieve. And the best way to grieve is together. In our community, coming together to do hard things is how we pay tribute. In this spirit, we have decided to move forward with the 2024 CrossFit Games.
“This weekend is dedicated to Lazar Đukić. We will open tomorrow at 10:00 am.”
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